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Work It Out Wednesday: Journey, Not Destination

Having an accountability buddy is key to staying motivated during a weight loss/body transformation journey. Lucky for me, I have a few friends who at the very least send me on guilt trips when I order fries as I walk home from the gym.

Last week at our company picnic, I chatted with my co-worker (one of my accountability buddies) about the perils of being on a weight loss/body transformation journey. Earlier that day, I couldn't help but notice how disciplined she was at lunch. I actually admired her plate filled with lettuce and grilled chicken as I stared down at the hot dog and Mac and cheese that covered mine. I especially admired how dedicated she was to her weight loss journey as I got up and perused the novelty ice cream selection.

As our picnic came to an end, we walked and chatted, and she expressed to me the frustration she felt after seeing herself in a photo beside friends who were visibly smaller than her. She felt fine upon taking the photo, but the minute she looked at it, she suddenly grew disgusted with her body and envied her friends'.

"All of the work I've put in suddenly felt like nothing at all...I told my boyfriend that I wanted him to delete the picture immediately."

She then explained that her friends were in a show and HAD to slim down significantly for their roles, but seeing how small they were compared to her made her question all the work she's done thus far.

No stranger to that feeling, I realized that many of us are exactly the same. In many aspects of our lives, we compare, compare, compare. That's my story, too. My MacBook is filled with images of Beyonce at every size, all perfect in my eyes. My Instagram news feed was filled with InstaFit "models" who posted squat videos, meal prep photos, and flawless shots of their defined, yet curvy bodies. Constant reminders of their perfection and my imperfection tore away at my confidence and I became my own worst enemy, sabotaging all the hard work I've put in day in and day out.

Despite two weeks of impeccable eating habits and sweating in the gym 4 days a week, logging into Instagram was a constant reminder that it wasn't enough. I still didn't look like Beyonce, nor the fitness gurus. People would tell me I looked thinner, but I just didn't see it. It drove me crazy.

Finally, I took control. I did a massive sweep of my social networks, unfollowing all the "fitspiration" models whose bodies I aspired to get and women I followed solely because I loved how they looked. I unfollowed all of the Kardashians with the manufactured beauty they flooded my timeline with. I also realized that I'd be perfect too if I were a millionaire with a private chef and personal trainer like that flawless Beyonce.

Above all, I learned to stop focusing on the destination, and appreciate the journey. Appreciate the restraint I showed day in and day out, appreciate the progress I make every time I shave time off my mile or add weight to my squat bar. It all matters. And it's my journey. Yours. Ours.

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Welcome!

It's me, Janna (also known as ItsMeJMarie!). Welcome to my little site where I share the things that make me, me. I write, reflect, snap photos, explore, workout, and eat...a lot. Oh, I ramble, too. Life's grand, and I'm so happy to share it with you. Enjoy!